KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Jacob Peterson scored his first Major League Soccer goal since the 2012 regular-season finale, and Sporting Kansas City beat the short-handed Columbus Crew 2-0 on Sunday to move into a three-way share of the Eastern Conference lead.

Peterson, starting on the right wing because of Sal Zizzo’s groin strain, put Kansas City (4-2-2) ahead in the 10th minute when he slotted home a loose ball in the penalty area. Claudio Bieler came off the bench to add an insurance goal — his first score of the year — into an open net deep in second-half stoppage time.

Eric Kronberg made four saves, including a goal-line stop of a hard header from Bernardo Anor in the 31st minute, to preserve his fourth shutout.

Columbus (3-2-3) dropped from second to fourth with the loss. The Crew had to play a man down after the 80th minute, when midfielder Wil Trapp drew a second yellow card for taking down Benny Feilhaber from behind.

Kansas City argued for another ejection in the 87th minute, when Tony Tchani shoved Dom Dwyer as Dwyer was being subbed off for Bieler, but Tchani was issued a caution instead.